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Hungary’s government looks at taxing internet downloads

  • 23-10-2014 12:34pm
    #1
    Nolars
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭


    In a move that would send shivers down the spines of internet users anywhere, the government of Hungary is considering a proposal to apply a tax of US$0.62 for every gigabyte of data downloaded.

    Surely could never happen would ruin online business etc Watching a few hours of netflix a day would be more expensive than the internet bill itself...

    http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/38927-hungary-s-government-looks/


Comments

  • #2
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Not necessarily (It depends on the amount of tax). But really it's stupid. They should only be getting tax via normal VAT of a service being sold.

    At the minute ordinary users subsidise the heavy users of Internet by over 50%. Eventually there will have to be a fixed charge and then maybe 5% of that for each 100Gbyte a month. Then no separate tax is needed as the regular VAT covers it.
    Watching a few hours of netflix a day would be more expensive than the internet bill itself.
    You must watch a LOT of Netflix or have a very low Broadband bill. But €50 for 80Gbyte sounds far too expensive. I wonder is it $0.062 or 0.62 cents? At 0.62c you'd get 800Gbyte for €5 extra.

    It's a stupid way to do it, no matter the rate.


  • #3
    JohnC.
    Registered Users Posts: 3,374 ✭✭✭JohnC.


    It's 150 Forints, which is currently €0.49.

    But I have heard from Hungarians that it probably isn't even intended to happen. It seems they've got a habit of announcing madcap stuff in order to take attention away from other matters in the news, which there happens to be now.


  • #4
    Nolars
    Registered Users Posts: 2,892 ✭✭✭Nolars


    No Surprise

    http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/39048-hungarian-prime-minister/


  • #5
    Paulownia
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭Paulownia


    It is a rather strange brand of democracy there


  • #6
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    However they often float unpopular ideas to distract people and then "give in" and ditch them.

    Nearly 60 years ago Tanks would arrive if you voiced your opinion.

    Here very many stupid things are done with no consultation and ignoring any dissent, so Hungarians may not have worse democracy than here.

    USA many things are decided by the Corporations.


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  • #7
    bealtine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,051 ✭✭✭bealtine


    watty wrote: »

    USA many things are decided by the Corporations.

    Not unlike here so...watched the documentary on Tony O Reilly and noted how he managed to get governments of all hue to change laws he didn't like for his benefit.

    Also they glossed over his "smash and grab" raid on eircom


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